The goal of our study was to analyze the difference in ABPM pattern in overweight and non overweight hypertensive children.

Material and methods:

The ABPM were performed using Spacelab 90207 and recorded over 24h.Readings were taken every 15 minutes while awake,and every 20 minutes while asleep.In both groups were evaluated the 24h MAP,daytime MAP,nocturnal MAP, systolic and diastolic load,mean 24h SBP and DBP.

A total of 108 pts were enrolled.Pts were divided in two groups.In the first group 54 pts non overweight with primary hypertension:33 male and 21 female with mean age of 10.4 y.In the second group the obese hypertensive children,with mean age of 10.5 y, were divided into two subgroups according to BMI Z-scores:subgroup 1 BMI Z-score >2<3 n 40 pts (17 f;21m);subgroup 2 BMI Z-score >3 n (4f;10m).

The statistically significant pathological pattern among obese is the increase in mean PAS and systolic load, as well as the absence of night dipping in severe obese. The increase in systolic load is already evident in obese mild. This gives a significant predictive value of cardiovascular damage to ABPM which increases with the severity of obesity worse.